published
At times, when I find my mind wandering or hungering for consumption - I remind myself to 'focus'. I close my eyes, looking for focus. I say 'focus' under my breath. I return to the task. Sometimes it works, sometimes it works momentarily, sometimes it doesn't work at all.
But recently, while journaling... I asked myself 'What is the difference between focus and ध्यान ?'. That’s dhyān with a soft 'd', like the Arabic or Spanish 'd'.
Dhyān is a Hindi/Sanskrit word that conjures focus, but so much more. It is a superset.
Dhyān is a state of mind that - depending on the construction of the verb around it - can variously represent elements of concentration, meditation, attention, focus, and flow. Dhyān is also the term we use when we ask people to take care.
It is a powerful word that captures meaning that is at once ascetic, active, and wholesome. Reminding ourselves to operate with dhyān rather than focus can instill care and flow in our actions. It can take action away from being strictly produce-ive, to being thoughtful and surrounded by grander context.
I have found it works for me, or maybe it’s just the novelty of the idea that is working for now. At least, it is worth experimenting with the concept.